RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CLASSROOM PARTICIPATION AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN GST FRENCH AMONG FRESHERS IN IJBCOE SAGBAMA

This study examined the relationship between classroom participation and academic performance in GST French among freshers in Isaac Jasper Boro College of Education (IJBCOE), Sagbama, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. The study specifically investigated how students’ level of classroom participation influences their academic performance as well as their comprehension, retention and communicative competence in French language learning. The theoretical foundation of the study is anchored on the view that active participation enhances language acquisition through interaction, cognitive engagement and meaningful communication, as supported by Krashen’s input hypothesis and Vygotsky’s social interaction theory. A quantitative correlational research design was adopted for the study. The population comprised all Year One students offering GST French during the 2025/2026 academic session in IJBCOE, Sagbama. A sample of 100 students was selected using simple random sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured instrument titled Classroom Participation Questionnaire (CPQ), while students’ academic performance scores in GST French were obtained from continuous assessment and examination records. The instrument was validated by experts and achieved a reliability coefficient of 0.83 using Cronbach Alpha. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics (frequency and percentage) and Pearson Product Moment Correlation at 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that 46% of respondents demonstrated moderate classroom participation, 28% exhibited high participation while 26% showed low participation. In terms of academic performance, 44% of students recorded average performance, 32% achieved high performance and 24% recorded low performance in GST French. The study further established a strong positive and statistically significant relationship between classroom participation and academic performance (r = 0.71, p < 0.05). This indicates that students who actively participate in classroom activities tend to achieve higher academic outcomes than those who are passive. The study concluded that classroom participation is a significant predictor of academic performance in GST French among freshers in IJBCOE Sagbama. It was recommended that French educators should adopt learner-centred, interactive and anxiety-reducing instructional strategies to enhance student engagement and improve learning outcomes in multilingual classroom settings.